Gentry Estes

Nashville Predators shouldn't take playoff hockey for granted | Estes Players are asking the Nashville Predators to stand pat at trade deadline, and a front office in transition should listen to them.

NEW: OK, so the #Preds don’t have the look of a true contender. But as the NHL trade deadline nears, they do have a shot at playoff hockey. At this point, the franchise — and fans calling for the team to sell — shouldn’t take that for granted.
www.tennessean.com/story/sports...

Mike Krzyzewski pupil Nolan Smith is working wonders at TSU | Estes Less than eight months into the job, Nolan Smith already has TSU men's basketball on the cusp of the program's first NCAA Tournament trip in 32 years.

NEW: Mike Krzyzewski pupil Nolan Smith has worked wonders in a hurry with TSU basketball, leading the Tigers to the cusp of their first NCAA Tournament berth in 32 years.
www.tennessean.com/story/sports...

What was it like to cover 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy? Cold! | Estes OK, I'm back, having thawed out after a few snowy Olympic weeks in the Italian Alps.

NEW: Now that I've thawed out from a few snowy weeks at the Winter Olympics, what was the experience like?
www.tennessean.com/story/sports...

Sports reporter Wes Rucker, who covered Tennessee athletics, dies at 43 Longtime sports reporter Wes Rucker, who covered University of Tennessee athletics, died in a car crash in Knoxville on Feb. 19.

I’ve lost one of my best friends suddenly, and I still don’t know what to think.

Wes Rucker was a hell of a writer, but he was also one hell of a devoted son, father, husband, friend.

RIP to my brother. I will treasure the memories and miss you terribly.

www.knoxnews.com/story/sports...

Nashville SC hasn't arrived yet. It needs to do it in MLS playoffs | Estes Nashville SC beefed up this offseason with hopes of advancing in the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time since 2021.

NEW: I'm still bundled up in Italy (like a foot of snow today in Livigno, people), but I did weigh in with some thoughts on Nashville SC in advance of a new MLS season.

Basically, there's still a lot of meat on the bone for this club. #EveryoneN
www.tennessean.com/story/sports...

No losers in awesome freeski big air Olympic duel that broke boundaries American Mac Forehand and Norway's Tormod Frostad made history with brand new trick in big air finals, making it nearly impossible to pick a winner.

The most entertaining event I've witnessed at these Olympics? Right here.🔽

There were no losers in awesome freestyle skiing big air Olympic duel that broke boundaries. #Olympics2026 www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Slopestyle or big air? In Olympics, it's not a matter of which event but when In the 2026 Olympics, freestyle skiing got the benefit of doing slopestyle first, and it's making for a better men's big air event than snowboarding.

The snow has finally eased up enough in Livigno to allow the men's freeski big air in about 30 minutes or so.

For a little pregame reading, I asked around about the big air and slopestyle and how Olympic athletes in one must do the other. #Olympics 2026 www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Teenage Olympians juggle world-class sports and high school classwork With all these teenagers competing for Team USA in snowboarding and freestyle skiing, what do they do for high school?

NEW: When 16-year-old USA snowboarder Jess Perlmutter gets finished chasing medals in Italy, she’ll have homework to do.

A lot of homework. #Olympics2026
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

How this Brazilian Alpine skier made history by capturing Olympic gold Lucas Pinheiro Braathen grew up in Norway but switched to represent Brazil, his mother's country, and now has first Winter Olympics medal for South America.

“If it’s anything I hope that I can be the source of inspiration of today: You have to be who you are.” #Olympics2026
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

This US snowboarder had 'crazy,' inspirational journey back to Olympics After a four-year retirement in part due to mental health issues, Team USA snowboarder Jake Pates is enjoying a successful return to the Olympics.

NEW: With the men's Olympic snowboarding halfpipe final up tonight, get to know American Jake Pates and his 'crazy,' inspirational journey to make it here. www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Chloe Kim's Olympic silver shouldn't feel like a letdown. But it does On a star-studded, snowy evening at the 2026 Olympics, all that was missing was the result. Well, that and a healthy shoulder for Chloe Kim.

NEW: Chloe Kim’s silver medal shouldn’t feel like a letdown. But it does. #Olympics2026 www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Snowboarder Chloe Kim is different, and she just reminded the 2026 Olympics of that Two-time gold medalist Chloe Kim went out there in the 2026 Olympics with an ailing shoulder and nonetheless looked very much like Chloe Kim.

NEW: Injured or not, USA snowboarder Chloe Kim is just different.

And the two-time gold medalist just reminded the 2026 Winter Olympics of that when she returned for morning qualifying and made a statement in Livigno. www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Meet Alessandro Barbieri, USA's next Olympic snowboarding star with a crazy nickname Olympics snowboarding legend Shaun White said it himself: Alessandro Barbieri is one to watch in the 2026 Winter Games. So who is this kid?

NEW: To know 17-year-old Alessandro Barbieri, the USA's next snowboarding star, is to know his true pride and joy and motivation.

That's his cat, Bella. #Olympics2026

www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Middle-aged USA snowboarder Nick Baumgartner aims to race into his 50s Nick Baumgartner, back for his fifth Olympics at age 44, says he'd like to retire 'on home soil' at the 2034 Olympics in Salt Lake City.

One-of-a-kind, middle-aged USA snowboarder Nick Baumgartner aims to race into his 50s.
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Alex Hall's 'weird' wait for silver embodies odd coupling of freestyle skiing, Olympics Freestyle skiing is a sport in which competitors strive to root for cool moments, not failure in others. The Olympics, though, is different.

NEW: Freestyle skiing is a sport in which competitors cheer for cool moments, and thus for each other.

The Olympics, though, can test that.

That's why Team USA freeskier Alex Hall's wait for silver in Livigno was a little 'weird.' #Olympics2026 www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Chloe Kim's Winter Olympics star power shines bright, bum shoulder and all She's rusty and wearing a brace while recovering from a recent shoulder injury. But two-time gold medalist Chloe Kim is back anyway at the Olympics.

NEW: Chloe Kim's Winter Olympics star power shines bright, bum shoulder and all. www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Watching the Super Bowl with a bunch of Americans at a packed bar in Livigno, Italy.

Oh, and it has a bowling alley.

Lindsey Vonn's crash was cruel. Her bravery epitomizes Olympic spirit Lindsey Vonn crashed. In spectacular fashion. But at least she was brave enough to take the risk, which is more than most of us can ever say.

At least Lindsey Vonn had the guts to chase her dream. How many of us can honestly say the same?

Lindsey Vonn's courage was special. I hope we appreciate how much It's not just that Lindsey Vonn was out there at the Winter Olympics. It's that she genuinely raced to win in a sport that demands extreme courage.

NEW: Lindsey Vonn's courage was special. I hope we appreciate how much.
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

US skier Kyle Negomir's long recovery leads to Top 10 in Olympics After a brutal crash in training sidelined him for the 2022 Olympics, American Kyle Negomir fought for years to get to the Top 10 in Bormio.

NEW: Sometimes, happy Olympic athletes weren’t the ones that won a medal.
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Olympic skiier will miss Super Bowl but sleep in Drake Maye jersey USA Olympic skier Ryan Cochran-Siegle may not get to watch the Super Bowl, but that won't stop him from showing fandom for the Patriots and Drake Maye

www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

This American teenager couldn't have been cooler under pressure in Olympics debut Snowboarding's Ollie Martin, 17, showed the composure of a veteran, qualifying in big air after falling in his first Olympic jump.

www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Beautiful Livingo's Olympic opening ceremony 'a little bit hectic' Olympic athletes in the mountain town of Livingo got their own opening ceremony, much smaller and unlike any grand event you see on TV.

www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Where is Gentry today? Italy.

I’m in the mountains in beautiful Livigno and Bormio, helping cover the Winter Olympics for USA Today.

(Including a few links below)

NEW: In Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll, the #Titans now have head coaches on both sides of the ball. Which is a seismic upgrade from Brian Callahan’s initial staff of first-timers.

Can experience drastically improve this team? It’s worth a try, right?
www.tennessean.com/story/sports...

NEW: As much as the #Titans (and their fans) have grown accustomed to indignity the past few years, a Super Bowl for Mike Vrabel’s Patriots in Year 1 is an especially difficult storyline to digest.
www.tennessean.com/story/sports...

NEW: It wasn't just his obvious talent on display or the way he played. It was also the way Nashville's 18-year-old golf phenom Blades Brown won over fans during this weekend’s PGA breakthrough performance. It all hints at stardom ahead.
www.tennessean.com/story/sports...

NEW: In Robert Saleh, the #Titans landed on a new coach who seems a lot like an old coach they fired.
www.tennessean.com/story/sports...

NEW: These Vols don’t play like a Rick Barnes team. Doesn’t sound like one, either.
www.tennessean.com/story/sports...

In case you didn’t feel old enough today, I can report that they are playing Nirvana at my dentist’s office.